


Don't call it a warning, this is a war

by orphan_account



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Deserves Nice Things, Alec Lightwood Has Anxiety, Alec Lightwood Has Been Too War, Alec Lightwood has PTSD, Alec Lightwood-centric, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Hurt Alec Lightwood, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Supportive Magnus Bane, Title to be Changed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:20:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27435736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: The last thing Alexander Gideon Lightwood remembers is getting into a car to complete an escort mission in Iraq, when he wakes up back in his home country of New York he is confused and also has one less arm than Alec remembers having. Magnus comes in to care for Alec as he heals from his injuries from war but things are not smooth sailing for Alec as he finds it hard to come back to terms of being back in civilian life.
Relationships: Clary Fray/Jace Wayland, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Simon Lewis/Isabelle Lightwood
Comments: 7
Kudos: 26





	Don't call it a warning, this is a war

Alexander Gideon Lightwood doesn’t remember much before he wakes up in a hospital in New York with one arm missing which he was sure he had the last time he checked, but he was also sure the last time he was awake he was in a car on an escort mission in Iraq. The next thing that Alec notices once his brain rebooted itself was that he had a full-grown beard which meant he must have been asleep for a while as he always kept himself clean shaven. Sighing: Alec pushes himself up grunting when a shock of pain goes through his chest. Once Alec pushed himself up he finally looked around the room, nothing was interesting about the room just a normal hospital what broke up the mundane white colour of the room was the get well cards and balloons which were scattered around the room there was even a white teddy bear laying next to him which held a red heart with ‘get well soon’ sewn into it. Alec decided none of that was important at the moment, he needed to know what the fuck had happened, so he pressed the bell to alert the nurse that he was awake. It did not take long for a nurse to turn up, when the nurse turned up Alec asked.

“What happened to me and why am I somehow back in New York?” The nurse smiled sweetly and replied.

“I will contact the doctor and your siblings, and they will be able to fill any blank spots for you.” Not the reply that Alec wanted but he could wait for his siblings to come to get his answers. Before the nurse left, she took Alec’s vitals and made sure that everything was fine before telling Alec that she was going to contact his siblings and doctor.

After the nurse left Alec fell back asleep and was awoken to the slamming of the room door and in came two of his siblings, Isabelle Lightwood and his adopted brother Jace Lightwood. It has been 5 years since the last time Alec saw his siblings and it took his breath away when he saw how different both of them where Isabelle was no longer a 16 year old girl she was now a beautiful women who Alec was sure made any man crumble she walked past and Jace was no longer the 17 year old boy with acne but a man who had muscles. Alec grunted again as he pushed himself up which had his sister moving to help him up which Alec really wanted to push her away he didn’t need help getting up but he was too tired to push Isabelle away so he let her help him up so Alec was sitting comfortably. Alec stared at his sister and brother as they both sat down in the uncomfortable hospital chairs then it was silent for a couple of minutes before Alec sighed and said.

“Well who’s going to tell me what the fuck happened and why I am somehow back in New York and not in the middle of the desert in Iraq.” Isabelle pushed back her perfectly straight hair and asked her older brother.

“what is the last thing that you remember Alec?” Alec thought hard but all he could remember was getting into the car for the escort mission, so he told Isabelle that who smiled sadly and replied.

“Alec, the car you was in went over an IED and detonated killing everyone in the car but you, you’ve been in a coma for a month now, they had to amputate your arm whilst you was still in Iraq, you’ve been back in New York for about two weeks now Alec.” The only thing Alec could think to say at the minute was:

“Fuck.” His sister then pulled Alec in for a hug which made Alec grunt in pain and Isabelle flinched back saying sorry and sitting back down, an awkward silent then fell over the room again but thankfully the doctor walked in and her name tag was ‘Dr. Loss.” Alec chuckled to himself, how very ironic when he had just lost one of his arms. She went through all of Alec’s vitals again before going into detail about the injuries that Alec had sustained in the explosion.

“So to start with the obvious your right arm had to amputated from the elbow up, from the report we got from the doctor who treat you in Iraq there was no way of saving the arm it was hanging by pieces of ligament and muscle and nothing else, you have broke 6 ribs and have sustained burns to your upper torso, your left foot is broken from where you was trapped under the car, you was knocked out instantly and have been in a coma since the accident. But considering everything you are incredibly lucky to have sustained so little injury when you were directly under an IED.” Alec sighed knowing that it was only the beginning of his recovery process, but it also explained the pain she felt when pushing himself up. Dr. Loss then carried on talking.

“You are going to need a lot of help through this process it is going to be a lot of rehab and support because of the broken foot and broken ribs you are going to be bed bound for another could of months Alec as your foot and ribs heal but once I check you over and you sort out who will be helping you I will be able to discharge you.” Alec sighed for what felt the millionth time and looked at both his siblings, he knew both his siblings were very busy people, Isabelle was a fashion designer for Dior and Jace a mechanic for luxury cars, neither of them probably had the time to look after him nor did he want them putting there jobs in jeopardy for him so he asked his siblings.

“what are we going to do? Neither of you can look after me, you both have high profile jobs which take up most of your time and you both have partners, I can’t intrude on either of you nor will I let you take time off work for me, this could take months.” Both Isabelle and Jace argued that is absolutely what both would do for their older brother, whilst this argument was going on Dr. Loss was still in the room filling out Alec's medical report which was at the bottom of the bed and she said making the siblings stop arguing.

“Sorry that I was listening into your conversation, but it seems you are in a bit of trouble with who could look after Alec, I have a friend who was a carer who is looking for work at the moment, I could give him a ring and see if he would be interested in taking another carer job.” Before Alec could say no Isabelle jumped in and said.

“That would be wonderful. Dr. Loss me or Jace would do it but due to our jobs we would have to take weeks off work and our industries just don’t allow that kind of time off.” Alec sighed knowing there was no way that he could say no now and decided glaring at his sister was good enough, Dr. Loss excused herself saying that she would call her friend to see if they could help.

After Dr. Loss left the room not much happened, Alec argued with his siblings about not needing a carer but Alec tired out quickly and changed the subject to what his siblings had been up to in the last 5 years Alec was away. Alec listened to his siblings whilst trying to keep his heavy eyelids open, Isabelle must have noticed as she said to Alec.

“Go to bed Alec we’ll wake you up when Dr. Loss returns.” Alec did not hear the end of Isabelle speaking as he was fast asleep.

Alec didn’t know how long he had been asleep when he awoke to Jace’s voice calling his name, it took Alec a couple of minutes to wake up properly but when he did he noticed that Dr. loss was back in the room so Alec slowly pushed himself up so he was sitting straight. Isabelle was standing next to Dr. Loss and they seemed to be having a conversation. Wanting to know what was going on Alec butted in by saying.

“So, what is happening?” Isabelle tutted but Alec had always been blunt and to the point, it did not seem to bother Dr. Loss as she replied.

“I’ve got some good news; my friend is interested in being your carer, but he would like to meet you first before saying yes to anything.” Alec could understand the man being cautious and wanting to see Alec before agreeing to anything, so Alec said.

“Sure, tell them to come around to meet me whenever they are available, now I’m going back to sleep because I am tired and starting to hurt.” Before Dr. Loss let Alec go back to sleep she got him to take a bunch of painkillers. The painkillers seemed to said Alec back to sleep as well as stop the pain Alec was feeling in his rips and where his arm once was because one moment he was speaking to his siblings and the next he was out like a light.

When Alec awoke he found that he was alone, his siblings must have left at some point whilst he slept, but on the hospital bed side table was a glass of water and a note from his sister which read; _‘gone to get some food, you’ve been sleeping for hours and me and Jace are starving! Will bring you back some actual edible food – love Isabelle.’_ Alec had not even thought about food until he read the note and his stomach decided to announce that Alec was indeed very hungry.

Alec ignored his stomach and let himself just think for a moment, he started to think about his arm and how he was very calm for someone who had nearly died in an IED explosion and had lost his arm due to that explosion, he knew that the calm he was feeling would backfire at some point and the anger and hurt would set in, Alec had no idea how he was going to handle the hurt and anger but he decided that was a problem for future Alec so he stopped thinking about that and looked out the hospital window which overlooked New York and let himself daydream for a while.

A while could have been hours for all Alec knew as he was only bought out of the daydream by the opening of the hospital door and in came his siblings carrying bags of take-out, they was followed in by Dr. Loss and a man Alec had not seen before. For a moment Alec forgot that this might be his carer who was coming around to meet him, so he looked at the man and said bluntly.

“Who are you?” Isabelle said his name in a tone which told Alec that he was being rude, but the man just smiled and replied.

“I’m Magnus Bane, Catarina contacted me about you needing a carer whilst you heal.” Alec blinked and looked over the man properly for the first time and the word which popped into Alec’s head when he looked at Magnus was; majestic.

Alec had never seen a man as attractive as the one standing in front of him. His hair was quaffed back with a pink streak running through the fringe. He worse brown eyeshadow around his eyes which was subtle against his Asian skin but still made his brown eyes pop, He worse a respectable black business jacket with a less respectable red satin shirt which had the first 5 buttons undone showing his well defined chest, caramel skin and all the necklaces which adorned his neck. The suit jacket fit Magnus’s body so well that Alec was sure that he was drooling and the tight skinny jeans he was wearing should be illegal. Magnus was making Alec’s brain not work and Jace must have noticed and he asked with concern in his voice.

“You okay Alec? Magnus just spoke to you.” Alec felt his face go red and he replied to Jace.

“sorry yeah, I’m fine. Just hungry and tired so my brain isn’t functioning properly.” Which was only half a lie he really was still tired and starving.

With Alec saying he was hungry Jace bought over the take-out he and Isabelle had bought, it was only a subway sandwich, “but it would kill Alec’s hunger for a while. As Alec was eating Magnus walked around to the hospital chairs and sat in on. Alec decided that he would not embarrass himself anymore and concentrated on eating his sandwich. Magnus stayed quiet watching Alec until Alec was nearly finished with his sandwich and Magnus then said.

“If you're willing, I’d be happy to help with being your carer there’s just some things that you would need to agree too. You would have to move into my apartment as I work from home and I cannot move my stuff, I have a cat and I’m a pretty social person so I have many people coming and going from my apartment.” Alec finished his sandwich before replying.

“I have no flat to return to anyway so im fine with staying at your place, cats are fine I actually love cats and I don’t expect you to change your life for me and have as many people around as you want.” Magnus smiled and replied.

“That is great, I will talk to Catarina and see when you are ready to be discharged and then I’m sure your siblings will bring you to my apartment.” Magnus then stood up and went to speak to Dr. Loss who had left the room whilst the two had been speaking. As Magnus left the room his siblings walked in, they must have also left the room at some point. Both Isabelle and Jace sat back down in the hospital chairs and Isabelle asked.

“So, how’d talking to Magnus go?” Alec shrugged and replied.

“It went well, I’ll give a try with him being my carer but be sure if I hate it, I will crawl out of his apartment.” Isabelle chuckled and replied.

“That’s great to hear Alec, I’m so glad that you are doing this. It puts mine and Jace’s minds at ease knowing there will be someone there to look after you when you need it.” After that conversation Alec and his siblings just made idle chat, Jace talking about his business had been taking off in the last couple of years and Isabelle on working for Dior and her new relationship with a man called Simon Lewis who Alec had yet to meet. Dr. Loss came in at some point and said if everything were fine in the next couple of days that Alec would be discharged.

When it hit 8pm Alec told his siblings to go home and rest as Alec was tired himself and he knew his siblings would be as well as they had been with him all day. Isabelle and Jace hugged Alec and said their goodbyes. But, once they were gone Alec found it hard to go back to sleep even though he was so tired, he was not used to the quiet anymore. It was unnerving to Alec even when he had been in the desert it was louder than the hospital room, he was now laying in, quiet always meant that something was going to happen and it kept Alec on edge and unable to sleep. Lucky for him though after an hour of staring at the white ceiling a nurse came into his room with some painkillers which Alec hoped would knock him out again. Lucky for Alec they did just that.

The next two days go by a blur for Alec, his siblings come to see him, bandages which cover his burns get changed, more pain killers and more sleep, Alec had slept more the past 3 days than he had since he joined the army at 16.

Before Alec knew it two days had gone, and he was being discharged from the hospital and Jace was helping Alec into his car to go and take him to Magnus’s 

**Author's Note:**

> Hello this is the first fic I've written in about a year and I cannot promise that it will be any good.  
> I wrote this whilst going through a manic episode at 3am so it is probably garbage and I will probably delete it once I'm sane again.  
> Sorry for any mistakes im dyslexic and idk what spelling & grammar are.  
> Also if i do carry this on would you like it to be only from Alecs POV or would you like to see Magnus's POV as well.
> 
> Title will probably be changed as I dont know how to tittle things.  
> Feel free to tell me its trash down in the comments lmao


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